Party Center Software is a cloud-based software solution which can be accessed from any internet browser by navigating to your facility's specific URL. As such, you are free to choose the device that best suits your needs for general access. However, it is important to note that any POS station(s) must be Windows-based in order to connect to your physical hardware. Please see below for recommendations and requirements:
Internet Connection (Required)
Party Center Software requires a stable broadband connection.
Recommended Internet Speeds (Dedicated POS Traffic)
| Setup | Recommended Speed |
| 1–3 POS terminals | 6 Mbps down / 1 Mbps up |
| 4–6 POS terminals | 10 Mbps down / 2 Mbps up |
| POS + waiver kiosks | 15+ Mbps down / 3+ Mbps up |
| POS + kiosks + guest Wi‑Fi | As fast as possible |
⚠️ Performance may be impacted if facility guests use the same Wi-Fi network as your POS stations. Many facilities use a separate guest Wi‑Fi network for best results.
POS Hardware
If you plan to use receipt printers, cash drawers, or barcode scanners, you must use:
A Windows-based PC, laptop, or tablet
- Devices with other operating systems can still access and use the PCS portal. However, these devices cannot be used as a POS station as the Hardware Link service is required for your PCS portal to communicate with your local hardware. Hardware Link is currently only compatible with Windows-based devices.
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If you are looking for a tablet experience, you may want to consider a Windows-based tablet such as a Microsoft Surface.
- Tablets will need to be physically connected to additional hardware, such as receipt printers, for full functionality.
PCS Hardware Link
Hardware Link allows the browser‑based PCS system to communicate with local hardware and is currently only compatible with Windows-based devices.
You can find more information about the Hardware Link service and its installation here!
Recommended PC Specifications
- Operating System: Windows 11
- It is still possible to use Windows 10, however, this is not recommended as Windows 10 has reached end-of-life and is no longer officially supported by Microsoft (except for users who have purchased Extended Security Updates).
- CPU: Intel i5 –8th Generation (or equivalent) or greater
- RAM: 16GB
- This recommendation comes from an increase in resource utilization in Windows 11 as well as resource spikes when utilizing Google Chrome while multitasking.
- Solid State Drive (SSD)
- Monitor: 20"+ (1920x1080 resolution or higher) for PC
- 13"+ (1920x1080 resolution or higher) for laptop
- 10"+ (1920x1280 resolution or higher) for windows-based tablets
Supported Receipt Printers
Party Center Software supports Epson-brand receipt printers compatible with the Epson Virtual Port Driver Utility, including:
- Epson TM‑T20 series
- Epson TM‑T88 series
- Epson TM‑T70 series
Other Epson models may also be compatible with the Virtual Port Driver Utility. If you have any questions about the compatibility of a specific model, please reach out to your hardware vendor.
Supported Cash Drawers
Printer-driven cash drawers simplify the setup process. Some manufacturers offer various models with multiple connection types. Please ensure that the selected cash drawer is compatible with Epson receipt printers and will ship with the correct RJ-11/RJ-12 interface.
Printer-Driven Cash Drawer:
- MMF Val-u Line Series
- M-S Cash Drawer Economy
- M-S Cash Drawer EP-102N
USB Cash Drawer:
- M-S USB Drawers
Other brands and models may also compatible with Epson printers. If you have any questions about the compatibility of a specific brand or model, please reach out to your hardware vendor.
Supported Barcode Scanners
Based on your needs, barcode scanners may be helpful for scanning:
- Gift cards
- Game cards
- Barcoded items
Examples:
- Symbol LS2208 (1D simple reader on paper)
- Motorola DS4208 1D/2D (To scan QR and other 2D codes from paper or from any screen or mobile device)
Other brands and models compatible with most cloud-based POS solutions may also be compatible with Party Center Software. Some models may require additional device drivers in order to function properly. If you have any questions about the compatibility of a specific brand or model, please reach out to your hardware vendor.
Credit Card Terminals
Credit card terminals are recommended for taking card-present transactions. These terminals must be ordered through Party Center Software to ensure that they are properly encoded. There are both wired and wireless credit card terminals that are compatible:
- Wired: Ingenico Lane 3000 & Ingenico Lane 3600
- Wireless: Ingenico Link 2500
Additional devices beyond those listed here may also be compatible. For questions about available devices, pricing, or compatibility, please reach out to your Sales Representative or Customer Success Manager.
Waiver Kiosk (Optional)
Some computers and browsers support a kiosk mode that can be used by customers to fill out liability waivers using our waiver system.
Waivers have been tested on desktop computers as well as on iOS, Android, and Windows tablets. Tablets 9" or larger are recommended for the best customer experience. Kindles and similar e-ink devices may not work.
It is important to ensure that any device used as a waiver kiosk does not contain any personal or private information, as the device will be available for public use. Additionally, we recommend disabling autofill and password-saving on the internet browser that you are using on the kiosk.
- iPad, Android, or Windows tablet
- Additional browser and device-specific settings may need to be configured. Please reach out to Support for help with this additional setup.